A Persistent Shadow
by QueenCheetah
Summary: AU- Yugi, a shy college freshman, suddenly finds himself being followed by a mysterious stranger- but what are the real motives behind this stalking? A short Puzzleshipping one-shot- YxYY


_(_ _A/N- I've always loved Puzzleshipping, but unfortunately it's very hard to write anything_ _nove_ _l since so much happens to_ _Yami and Yugi_ _over the course of the anime/manga..._ _I mean, what **don't** those two go through together?! A_ _nyway,_ _hope this is interesting enough, and_ _please enjoy!_ _)_

The bus's brakes screeched loudly as the public transport vehicle came to a scheduled stop.

" _*Now- A_ _pproaching_ _\- Domino-_ _City-_ _Stop- 31_.*" An electronic voice flatly intoned as the folding doors shuddered. A short, wild-haired boy was standing just behind the yellow line of the passenger area. His wide eyes were violet-toned, and his hair was a strange blend of shocking yellow, black, and magenta spikes.

Yugi Motou sighed as he waited for the doors to fully open. A first-year Domino University student, he was finding it hard to adjust to the new challenges of campus life. He had always lived on the other side of the metropolis, and he felt displaced by the change. Living on his own for the first time, he also felt a bit lonely. The polite youth was hardly a social expert, and although his high-school friends still kept in touch, he always had trouble connecting with his other peers.

Still, the determined student pushed his thoughts aside as the electronic PA let out a soft * _ding!_ *, indicating that it was safe to disembark.

The odd-haired adolescent stepped off the bus, vaguely aware of another set of footsteps behind him. Although #31 wasn't a very popular stop, it was still labeled on the bus map, and saw decent foot-traffic. The dim street lights provided meager lighting as Yugi unhurriedly made his way down the concrete sidewalk.

'Right... let's see... I need milk, rice, and some laundry detergent...' The short young man mentally recited his shopping list. His tiny studio apartment was located close to a small grocery store. Yugi was just recalling what to buy, when he realized something odd.

The footfalls behind him weren't fading.

In fact, they seemed to be speeding up.

Yugi started to feel a bit unnerved. He began to turn around, but then stopped. 'No, I'm just being paranoid...'

But the sounds continued to grow closer and closer, and the pint-sized freshman felt his muscles tense anxiously. 'It's just a jogger or someone... at 9 o'clock at night... on a badly lit pathway...'

His curiosity finally got the better of him, and the nervous student turned his head just enough to catch a glimpse.

The other figure was right between the two nearest street lights, but Yugi could tell he was taller and more fit. The man instantly noticed the other pedestrian's gaze, and called after him: "Hey! Hold up!"

Disturbed, Yugi stepped up his pace slightly. He didn't know what the other person wanted, but he certainly didn't feel safe just waiting for the prowler to emerge from that shadowy area.

"Wait!"

The stranger's tone wasn't aggressive, and Yugi paused, wondering if he had the other guy all wrong.

But then the follower gasped out one word: _**"Wallet!"**_

Yugi's jaw dropped, and he lost all pretense. He began sprinting at top speed, hoping to somehow lose the mysterious prowler. 'Oh no- _t_ _hat's_ what he wants- my _money_! He plans to rob me!' He darted down the walk, desperately hoping to run into another bystander so he could escape the deranged mugger.

" _WAHHH!"_ Yugi let out an involuntary cry as he hit a very rough patch of concrete. The old sidewalk was badly uneven, and his right foot hit a raised slab with full force. The terrified student felt his balance shifting. He let out a loud gasp as he fell painfully forward, landing on the cold pavement.

As he lay in a stunned daze, he could hear the footsteps finally catch up to their prey.

'Oh no-oh no-oh no...' The floored freshman closed his eyes, not wanting to see assailant's face. He knew a robber was less likely to let him live if he could recognize the thief's appearance.

"Hah... hah..." The figure gasped, clearly unable to speak properly. Yugi felt his body tense- was this guy some sort of pervert?! Why didn't he just say something?

But eventually, the strange man was able to voice a full sentence. "Are- are you alright?"

'Eh?' Yugi frowned. Since when would a mugger care about his victim? Fearing a trick, the scared boy only shook his head.

"Here."

Yugi carefully opened one eye, expecting to see a knife or a gun.

It was a hand.

The pale skin nearly matched Yugi's own, and the fallen youth blinked in surprise. He wasn't expecting an offer of help from the mysterious stalker, and he paused before taking it. The warm hand was only slightly larger than his own. The calm stranger then easily lifted the student back to his feet. "That looked like a nasty fall- are you hurt anywhere? I can call an ambulance, if you need."

"N-no, I'm fine. Thanks." Embarrassed and confused, Yugi kept his gaze sideways.

"Sorry if I startled you, but I saw you drop something on the bus. This is yours, yes?" The man suddenly handed over a worn, faux-leather wallet.

Yugi gasped as he saw the familiar brown rectangle- it was his! "YES! Oh my goodness; I didn't even realize that I'd dropped it! Thank you!"

"Thank goodness; I'd hate to think I'd chased down the wrong person!" The man let out a soft chuckle.

Curious, Yugi finally looked up, and felt a slight shock as he realized just how similar the other man looked. His skin was almost an identical shade of pale ivory, and his hair was styled in an equally wild array of black, yellows, and magenta hues. But his eyes were far more narrowed, and his face had an almost invisible smirk permanently etched into the visage.

'Wow... he's really attractive...' Yugi felt his fascination wane as he realized what the slightly-older looking stranger had just revealed. "Wait- you mean you weren't even sure if the wallet was mine?!"

The Samaritan shrugged. "Truth be told, I only saw it on the bus floor after you got up- I wasn't certain if _you'd_ dropped it, or if it was already lying there from before."  
"But- then _why_ didn't you just say something?!" Yugi's amethyst orbs widened in disbelief. "The way you kept chasing me down, I thought you were a _mugger_ or something!"

"I have a mild form of asthma- it doesn't bother me often, but when I keep running without pause... I end up short of breath. Then I can only get out a few words, which of course makes it hard to explain anything." The other man admitted. "I don't have my inhaler on me, and I was afraid I would have an attack if I kept shouting while chasing you."

"Oh..." The shorter man blinked. "Well, I appreciate your efforts, but why don't you keep your inhaler with you?"

The stranger gave a casual shrug. "I'm not usually that active at my day job." He pointed downwards at a flat rectangle dangling from his upper shirt pocket. Yugi then noticed the plastic card hanging from the man's lapel- a clip-on ID badge assigned to all Domino University staff. "I'm just a teacher's aide. I saw your student ID and thought you'd recognize mine."

Yugi felt slightly embarrassed- he'd completely failed to notice the man's rectangular badge. Clearly he was also a member of the Domino University body.

"Oh... well, then, thank you; for your persistence." Yugi gave a half-bow of gratitude, but the teacher's aide only shrugged.

"Actually, I was hoping you would agree to a sort of... reward."

"A reward?" Yugi blinked, not understanding what the man wanted. Surely he knew that most college students were broke? There was barely $20.00 inside the wallet, after all...

"Yes... I was wondering..." Here the teacher's aide looked a bit anxious as his voice grew softer, "...would you be so kind as to indulge me with a date, this upcoming weekend?"

"Eh?!" Yugi blushed, not certain if he was flattered or bewildered. "B-but how did you know I was..."

"I, uh, couldn't help but notice the pin." Yami pointed to the small, rainbow icon attached to the outer layer of the brown wallet. "They give those out every year at the 'Domino Pride Parade', right?"

"Oh, yes... I, um, attended last year for the first time..." Another thought struck the bewildered undergrad. "But wait... isn't there a rule against teachers dating their students?"

The other man smirked. "Technically, I'm not a teacher- I'm a teacher's aide, or TA, which means I'm employed under a different system. Not to mention, you're not in any of the classes I oversee- but if you'd rather not, I understand. There's no need for excuses." He gave a sad smile and started to turn away, but Yugi gasped and nearly stumbled again.

"No! I mean, _yes!_ " Yugi was too flustered to manage a proper response, but the attractive Samaritan only grinned.

"In that case, my name is Yami Atemu."

"Yugi. Yugi Motou." The flattered student shyly added: "I'm, uh, free this Saturday... if you'd like to meet up sometime?"

Yami nodded, already wishing it was the weekend. He gently took the other's hand for a second time, before lightly kissing the top. "I'll look forward to it."

Yugi swore his face was turning the same shade as the other's eyes. The pair soon exchanged cell numbers before parting ways.

Yugi then tucked the small slip of paper into his wallet, making sure the billfold was well seated in his denim pocket.

'This time, I'm _definitely_ not going to lose you!' He silently smiled down at the pocketed wallet. One corner of the paper with the precious phone number was sticking out reassuringly. 'Although, I can't say the first time wasn't implausibly lucky... oh, I hope Saturday gets here fast!'


End file.
